An Introduction to Curacao

Curacao is a small Caribbean island of 171 square miles off the coast of Venezuela, with a population of 140,000. Because of its position in the southern Caribbean, it is considered outside of the hurricane belt. Curacao is an ideal island for an adventure vacation with numerous outdoor recreation activities for the individual on holiday.

With over 35 beaches of remarkable variety you can choose between long sand beaches or small intimate coves. Curacao is one of the few Caribbean islands where you will find topless sunbathing. Although the law does not permit this, it is tolerated at a few of the beaches. The water off Curacao’s beaches is crystal clear.

As a result of the water clarity, scuba diving and snorkeling are some of the major vacation activities in Curacao. In addition to the clarity of the water, the abundance of marine life and the government’s commitment to preserving the marine environment has made Curacao a prime scuba diving location in the Caribbean. There are 40 different dive areas off Curacao with 65 individual dive sites. One of the premier dive locations is the island's marine park, which has a wide variety of sea life. Curacao is one of those islands where you can literally walk off the beach and begin snorkeling right off the shore.

Outdoor vacation adventure is not confined to the beach on Curacao. The island is full of trails for hiking or exploring on mountain bikes. On the rugged northern coast you can observe natural bridges and spectacular ocean views. You can also walk around one of the "salinas" (saltpans), where there are large colonies of flamingos. Apart from flamingos, birdwatchers will enjoy looking for the other 168 bird species seen on the island. The most common of the native birds are the Trupial, a black bird with a bright orange underbelly and white swatches on its wings, and the Cuchubi, the Caribbean mocking bird.

The outdoor attractions on Curacao are both natural and man-made. One of the main visitor attractions are the Hato Caves. These caves contain some spectacular stalagmites and stalactites. They also contain petroglyphs, otherwise known as cave drawings, which are more than 1,500 years old. The Aloe Vera Farm will teach you about the healing properties of Aloe Vera and you can purchase a range of products from juice, to gels to soaps. At the Ostrich Farm you will learn everything about raising ostriches. You can also tour the factory where the world famous Curacao liqueur is made. At the Curacao Sea Aquarium Park you will enjoy the Dolphin Training Demonstration and sea lion show. The Sea Aquarium has over 45 species of marine life with plenty of diverse and unique fish.